Pocket dial lands East TN man in jail

The Athens Police Department says an accused criminal accidentally tipped them off with a mistaken phone call.

Aaron Thompson, 33, of Sweetwater was taken into custody Friday by Athens police.

According to the incident report, Aaron Thompson had accidentally pocket dialed dispatchers at the McMinn County E-911 Center while he was having an argument at an Athens residence. The report goes on to say Thompson had been yelling about marijuana and methadone and was "looking for a pipe to smoke something with."

Dispatchers then told the Athens Police Department as to what was happening.

"I've been here almost 11 years and this is the only time I'm aware of that we've had a call happen this way," said Athens Police Officer Jamie Carmack.

He responded to the house where Thompson was located.

The Sweetwater man then told Carmack the reason he was yelling was because he wanted to know why the mother of his children, who lived at the Athens residence, had taken him off her insurance policy.

Little did Thompson know, Carmack was tipped off by the McMinn County E-911 something else might have been said.

"It really surprised him as well," Carmack said.

He then asked Thompson whether he would consent to a search. Carmack said Thompson agreed.

After that, Carmack then said he found nine narcotics Alprazolam pills on Thompson's body without a prescription. So, he took Thompson into custody at the McMinn County Jail.